Saturday, August 3, 2013

Niles, MI

Distance from St. Charles to Niles via bike: 450 miles
Number of days I have until my high school reunion: 3

What would you do?

The rain was pelting down when I left the motel room to catch the 5:38 am commuter shuttle from the motel to St. Louis light rail. Fifty cents for a fifteen-mile ride to the rail station.

It was still coming down hard as I dashed to the train platform. $2.25 for the two miles to the airport.

At the airport, I picked up a rental car and headed back to the motel, stopping first at Lowe's to buy a drop cloth to protect the car from my bike, which was coated with Katy Trail crud. I could have left it out in the rain to take a bath, but by this time the rain had stopped. I took the bike apart, stuffed it into what passes for a trunk these days, and filled the rear seat with my panniers.

Eight hours later, I was at the South Bend airport, where my niece was waiting. We shuffled the gear to her car and hied to Elkhart and her house, my home for the next three days.

On Friday, the final leg of the journey: 25 miles to classmate Ralph's house in Niles, and two more miles to the high school and the first of the reunion activities. The reunion was a blast. My sister and I decided that they get better as we get older: people mellow, old cliques and old grudges are set aside; we're all in the same boat. Except for those who are on the far shore - who are, of course, leading the way for the rest of us.

So ends the saga.

Of course, there's more. There should always be more. I'm still traveling, bopping around Michigan, visiting old friends and relatives, continuing to meet new people. And DeAnne will join me to ride the 400 miles of DALMAC before we finally come home.

I've been at the flying field for the past five days! You didn't notice??

Actually, that's Merillat Field (34G) in Tecumseh, MI (Google coordinates 41.974 / -83.9235). I've been sleeping in a hangar and hanging out with the FBO, have met a lot of very nice pilots and mechanics, have seen some really cool aircraft, and have even found a house with hangar for sale on the field. It's beginning to feel like home.

congratulations on making the trip! i've been sporadically following your progress and adventures... i only have minor trips to report, mostly family backpacks and the like. but, i feel inspired to follow your example some day!

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Map Notes

Unfortunately, the mobile version of Blogger does not permit the placement of photos within the text, nor titling of the photos. You will just have to guess which photos go with what text.

You can see a Google Maps route map associated with a daily post by clicking on the first link (up there in the from-to text). However, note that Google Maps on Android does not permit the customization of maps, so these maps do not reflect the route I actually took: they show only what Google Maps thinks is an appropriate bike route between the starting and ending spots.

The real routes are provided in the TransAmerica Trail maps published by the Adventure Cycling Association, information from which is used here by their kind permission. You can, of course, use these Google Maps as a starting point for planning your own trip. But keep in mind that the Google Maps routes do not always coincide with the TransAmerica Trail maps, and of course do not show all the extras that are included on those maps. I strongly recommend that you purchase the Adventure Cycling maps. They contain much more detailed information about the routes, and include history, points of interest, lodging/camping information, and emergency contacts for the areas through which you will be passing.

About Me

After forty years bustin' my butt as a computer programmer, I up and quit. What comes after retirement? Read my blogs and find out.
Note that, unless you know me personally, they will bore you silly. And if you do know me personally, it won't be much better.